Monthly Archives: February 2022
The DeLorean Is Officially Back, And It’s Electric
It's been nearly 40 years since the release of Back to the Future, but the DeLorean remains cool as ever thanks to its beautiful industrial design and gull-wing doors. Now it's officially coming back, and it's going electric.
In a teaser revealed shortly before the Super Bowl, the DeLorean Motor Company teased the return of the iconic car. "The Future was never promised," the tweet reads. "Reimagine today."
The Future was never promised. Reimagine today.
— DeLorean Motor Company (@deloreanmotorco) February 13, 2022
Sign up for the premiere of the DeLorean in 2022.
https://t.co/K9n8D1s5uK#DeloreanEVolved#Delorean#Auto#ElectricVehicle#Luxury#BigGame pic.twitter.com/99HsGLCswb
It's accompanied by a 15 second video featuring the silhouette of the familiar gull-wing doors. The accompanying hashtags reveal that it will be an electric vehicle while suggesting that it will have a focus on luxury.
The announcement marks the return of the famous but short-lived car, which only lasted between 1981 and 1982. Cool as it looked with its stainless steel body, the DeLorean was infamous for being underpowered. The original DeLorean Motor Company went bust in 1982.
The DeLorean was already out of production by the time it made its debut in 1985's Back to the Future, but Robert Zemeckis' sci-fi hit made it instantly iconic among movie fans.
"The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" Doc Brown famously asked Marty McFly before taking it for a test drive in the parking lot of the Twin Pines Mall (later the Lone Pine Mall).
It's unclear how faithful the new DeLorean will be to the original, though one assumes that it won't deviate too far from its classic design. It's set to debut sometime in 2022. With paradox-free time travel potentially being proven possible, maybe we can finally make Doc Brown's dream a reality.
While you wait, check out the Back to the Future screenwriter's answer to one of the film's most infamous plot holes, as well as our list of 20 actors who were replaced during their movie's production.
MCU-Style Movie Universe Will Bring Together Godzilla, Evangelion, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider
Hideaki Anno's Godzilla, Evangelion, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider are joining forces for an MCU-style collaborative project called "Shin Japan Heroes Universe."
As reported by Kotaku, the newly announced project was launched by Toho Studios together with Khara, Tsuburaya Productions, and Toei in a bid to connect all the movies bearing the "Shin" prefix in their titles. The project's official website launched with a colorful new visual drawn by Mahiro Maeda, featuring the four figureheads of the Shin Japan Heroes Universe.
The website also featured a black and white emblem logo for the Shin Japan Heroes Universe, depicting the heads of the four heroes at the center of the "SJHU" acronym. The graphic was designed by Yutaka Izubuchi who will "will color the launch of this large-scale project" alongside Maeda, as the new era begins to move forward in 2022.
It's currently unknown exactly how this project will take shape, though the Anime News Network noted that events, merchandise, and other tie-ins are being planned as part of the collaboration. More details about the Shin Japan Heroes Universe and its wide range of developments will be released this year, according to Tsuburaya Productions.
Shin Godzilla, released in 2016, was co-directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, with a screenplay written by Anno. Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time was released last year, with Anno at the helm. Anno also wrote Shin Ultraman, which will be released in Japan in May 2022, and he is also writing the upcoming Shin Kamen Rider, which will follow in March 2023.
The upcoming Ultraman film is directed by Shinji Higuchi, who co-directed 2016's Shin Godzilla with Anno. The movie will reportedly cover the story of the original Ultraman, capturing the charm of the original show that aired from 1966 to 1967, while also giving the titular character a chance to be "reborn" in modern day society.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
MCU-Style Movie Universe Will Bring Together Godzilla, Evangelion, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider
Hideaki Anno's Godzilla, Evangelion, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider are joining forces for an MCU-style collaborative project called "Shin Japan Heroes Universe."
As reported by Kotaku, the newly announced project was launched by Toho Studios together with Khara, Tsuburaya Productions, and Toei in a bid to connect all the movies bearing the "Shin" prefix in their titles. The project's official website launched with a colorful new visual drawn by Mahiro Maeda, featuring the four figureheads of the Shin Japan Heroes Universe.
The website also featured a black and white emblem logo for the Shin Japan Heroes Universe, depicting the heads of the four heroes at the center of the "SJHU" acronym. The graphic was designed by Yutaka Izubuchi who will "will color the launch of this large-scale project" alongside Maeda, as the new era begins to move forward in 2022.
It's currently unknown exactly how this project will take shape, though the Anime News Network noted that events, merchandise, and other tie-ins are being planned as part of the collaboration. More details about the Shin Japan Heroes Universe and its wide range of developments will be released this year, according to Tsuburaya Productions.
Shin Godzilla, released in 2016, was co-directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, with a screenplay written by Anno. Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time was released last year, with Anno at the helm. Anno also wrote Shin Ultraman, which will be released in Japan in May 2022, and he is also writing the upcoming Shin Kamen Rider, which will follow in March 2023.
The upcoming Ultraman film is directed by Shinji Higuchi, who co-directed 2016's Shin Godzilla with Anno. The movie will reportedly cover the story of the original Ultraman, capturing the charm of the original show that aired from 1966 to 1967, while also giving the titular character a chance to be "reborn" in modern day society.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Oscar Isaac Says Moon Knight Is ‘First Legitimate Marvel Character Study Since Iron Man’
After Star Wars and X-Men, Oscar Isaac was ready to take a break from blockbuster franchises. But according to Isaac, Moon Knight changed his mind.
Speaking with Empire for a new cover story, Isaac says the upcoming Disney+ series takes the Marvel Cinematic Universe back to its roots with the kind of personal character study not seen since the original Iron Man, describing it as "handmade."
"Often on these big movies it can feel like you're building the plane on the runway. The idea of getting back to handmade films, character studies... I was desperate for that feeling," Isaac said. "[Moon Knight] felt handmade. And it's the first legitimate Marvel character study since Iron Man. Plus, I thought maybe this is the chance to do something really f**king nutty on a major stage."
Isaac wondered: "How can we make this an experiential thing, so we're inside the eyes of the character, living in his state of fear and the unknown?"
With Moon Knight only a month away, Isaac has lately been opening up more about the upcoming MCU show. In a recent interview, Isaac called the workload for Moon Knight "the most challenging" of his career. He also says that the "weird" British accent he adopted for the character is a purposeful decision.
For those unfamiliar, Moon Knight character is a particularly violent hero with dissociative identity disorder. Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently commented that the six-episode series will test the boundaries of what the MCU can do.
Moon Knight arrives on Disney+ on March 20, but for those eager for more, check out the entire cast of Moon Knight so far and why the MCU series is very different from the comics.
Oscar Isaac Says Moon Knight Is ‘First Legitimate Marvel Character Study Since Iron Man’
After Star Wars and X-Men, Oscar Isaac was ready to take a break from blockbuster franchises. But according to Isaac, Moon Knight changed his mind.
Speaking with Empire for a new cover story, Isaac says the upcoming Disney+ series takes the Marvel Cinematic Universe back to its roots with the kind of personal character study not seen since the original Iron Man, describing it as "handmade."
"Often on these big movies it can feel like you're building the plane on the runway. The idea of getting back to handmade films, character studies... I was desperate for that feeling," Isaac said. "[Moon Knight] felt handmade. And it's the first legitimate Marvel character study since Iron Man. Plus, I thought maybe this is the chance to do something really f**king nutty on a major stage."
Isaac wondered: "How can we make this an experiential thing, so we're inside the eyes of the character, living in his state of fear and the unknown?"
With Moon Knight only a month away, Isaac has lately been opening up more about the upcoming MCU show. In a recent interview, Isaac called the workload for Moon Knight "the most challenging" of his career. He also says that the "weird" British accent he adopted for the character is a purposeful decision.
For those unfamiliar, Moon Knight character is a particularly violent hero with dissociative identity disorder. Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently commented that the six-episode series will test the boundaries of what the MCU can do.
Moon Knight arrives on Disney+ on March 20, but for those eager for more, check out the entire cast of Moon Knight so far and why the MCU series is very different from the comics.
Moon Knight Won’t Be a Batman Clone In the MCU
In the world of comics, Moon Knight has often been seen as Marvel's Batman rip-off. After all, he's a caped crusader who has an alter-ego as a wealthy playboy. But the MCU is taking a very different approach to the character that isn't looking to "beat Batman at his own game."
Talking to Empire magazine for issue #399, Moon Knight's head writer and executive producer, Jeremy Slater, opened up about the parallels between Bruce Wayne and Moon Knight's Steven Grant. "It was never a comparison I was interested in making," he said. "Batman has an 80-year head start on us: you're not going to beat Batman at his own game. We've seen that side of Moon Knight [in some comics] as a playboy philanthropist, throwing moon-shaped boomerangs, flying around in a moon-shaped plane, but I don't think that's the coolest possible version of the character."
Swapping wealth for mental health, Steven Grant in the Moon Knight MCU show is a gift shop employee struggling with trauma and flashbacks to a life that's not his own. The show will also apparently lean heavily on Egyptology, with the adventures of Indiana Jones being a touchstone (albeit it blended with the darkness of Moon Knight's story). As such, while there certainly looks to be big capes and boomerangs and brutal violence, the show should hopefully feel quite different to everyone's favourite wealthy bat-shaped detective.
For more from Moon Knight, take a look at the differences between the MCU and comics versions, as well as why Oscar Isaac has such a strange accent.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Moon Knight Won’t Be a Batman Clone In the MCU
In the world of comics, Moon Knight has often been seen as Marvel's Batman rip-off. After all, he's a caped crusader who has an alter-ego as a wealthy playboy. But the MCU is taking a very different approach to the character that isn't looking to "beat Batman at his own game."
Talking to Empire magazine for issue #399, Moon Knight's head writer and executive producer, Jeremy Slater, opened up about the parallels between Bruce Wayne and Moon Knight's Steven Grant. "It was never a comparison I was interested in making," he said. "Batman has an 80-year head start on us: you're not going to beat Batman at his own game. We've seen that side of Moon Knight [in some comics] as a playboy philanthropist, throwing moon-shaped boomerangs, flying around in a moon-shaped plane, but I don't think that's the coolest possible version of the character."
Swapping wealth for mental health, Steven Grant in the Moon Knight MCU show is a gift shop employee struggling with trauma and flashbacks to a life that's not his own. The show will also apparently lean heavily on Egyptology, with the adventures of Indiana Jones being a touchstone (albeit it blended with the darkness of Moon Knight's story). As such, while there certainly looks to be big capes and boomerangs and brutal violence, the show should hopefully feel quite different to everyone's favourite wealthy bat-shaped detective.
For more from Moon Knight, take a look at the differences between the MCU and comics versions, as well as why Oscar Isaac has such a strange accent.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Scientists Have Built an Artificial Fish Made of Human Heart Cells
Scientists have created an artificial fish that can swim on its own using human heart cells, bringing researchers one step closer to developing a more complex artificial muscular pump.
According to Vice, Harvard University researchers developed a "biohybrid" fish by lining its tail fins with human heart muscles derived from stem cells. In doing so, they found that the cells contracted and caused the tail to pull in that direction, producing a stretch on the other side of the fin that in turn caused a contraction, pulling the tail in the opposite direction.
This artificial fish is powered by human heart cells.https://t.co/aioJKFDZft pic.twitter.com/6c5nIbA1sn
— Harvard SEAS (@hseas) February 11, 2022
The results of the study published in the journal Science revealed that the back-and-forth of the muscle contractions powered the faux-fish to swim with "the same motion as a beating heart" for 108 days, which is the equivalent of 38 million beats, proving that scientists can build a long-lasting muscular pump with human stem-cell-derived cardiac muscles.
"Our muscular bilayer construct is the first to demonstrate that the mechanoelectrical signalling of [cardiomyocytes] could induce self-sustaining muscle excitations and contractions for extended periods," said Kit Parker, a professor of bioengineering and applied physics at Harvard, highlighting the longer duration of movement demonstrated by the fish.
The robotic fish experiment marks a step forward for heart research as it provided a platform to study cardiovascular physiology and heart diseases such as arrhythmia. Researchers hope to one day leverage the results of the study to advance pacemaker technology or even build an artificial heart for transplant, but only after further research is carried out.
Human biology is often a focus of scientific studies as experts search for better ways to develop solutions to improve lives. One study examined how brains react to watching movies, while another led to the development of a tool that achieves mind control using light. Researchers in the same field also found a way to restore some brain function in dead pigs.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Thumbnail image credit: Michael Rosnach/Keel Yong Lee/Sung-Jin Park/Kevin Kit Parker.
Scientists Have Built an Artificial Fish Made of Human Heart Cells
Scientists have created an artificial fish that can swim on its own using human heart cells, bringing researchers one step closer to developing a more complex artificial muscular pump.
According to Vice, Harvard University researchers developed a "biohybrid" fish by lining its tail fins with human heart muscles derived from stem cells. In doing so, they found that the cells contracted and caused the tail to pull in that direction, producing a stretch on the other side of the fin that in turn caused a contraction, pulling the tail in the opposite direction.
This artificial fish is powered by human heart cells.https://t.co/aioJKFDZft pic.twitter.com/6c5nIbA1sn
— Harvard SEAS (@hseas) February 11, 2022
The results of the study published in the journal Science revealed that the back-and-forth of the muscle contractions powered the faux-fish to swim with "the same motion as a beating heart" for 108 days, which is the equivalent of 38 million beats, proving that scientists can build a long-lasting muscular pump with human stem-cell-derived cardiac muscles.
"Our muscular bilayer construct is the first to demonstrate that the mechanoelectrical signalling of [cardiomyocytes] could induce self-sustaining muscle excitations and contractions for extended periods," said Kit Parker, a professor of bioengineering and applied physics at Harvard, highlighting the longer duration of movement demonstrated by the fish.
The robotic fish experiment marks a step forward for heart research as it provided a platform to study cardiovascular physiology and heart diseases such as arrhythmia. Researchers hope to one day leverage the results of the study to advance pacemaker technology or even build an artificial heart for transplant, but only after further research is carried out.
Human biology is often a focus of scientific studies as experts search for better ways to develop solutions to improve lives. One study examined how brains react to watching movies, while another led to the development of a tool that achieves mind control using light. Researchers in the same field also found a way to restore some brain function in dead pigs.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Thumbnail image credit: Michael Rosnach/Keel Yong Lee/Sung-Jin Park/Kevin Kit Parker.
Horror Game Martha Is Dead to Be ‘Modified’ on PlayStation, But Not Xbox or PC
The PlayStation versions of upcoming horror game Martha is Dead have been "modified" to remove certain elements, despite the original version launching as normal on Xbox and PC.
It's not clear what has been modified, but Martha Is Dead is already notable for an unflinching look at graphic elements, even in its trailers. The announcement came in a Tweet (below) posted just ten days before Martha is Dead's launch.
Expressing "regret" at the change, the developer's statement was prefaced with a warning that the game was always intended for adult audiences, "with play consisting of potentially discomforting scenes and themes that may distress some players."
It also announced that the physical versions on PlayStation would be delayed for a "small number of weeks".
A statement on Martha Is Dead pic.twitter.com/iI3T5s4LYR
— Martha Is Dead (@MarthaisDead) February 11, 2022
Developer LKA and publisher Wired Productions added: "It is with regret that we have had to modify the experience on the PS5 and PS4 versions, with some elements no longer playable."
They added: "The PC and Xbox versions of Martha is Dead are both unaffected by these developments and will launch with the full unedited gameplay as planned."
Martha is Dead is a dark psychological thriller, within which LKA promises deep, multi-layered narratives combined with real locations and a mix of history, superstition, and psychological distress.
IGN has reached out for comment from PlayStation and Wired Productions but has not yet heard back.
Martha is Dead will be released digitally on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, and PC on February 24. Physical Xbox versions will be available the same day, with PlayStation versions on their way.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.